A Pet Con
by ScintillatingAntoinette
Summary: Peter finally catches the cool and elusive Neal Caffrey at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Unfortunately Peter knows that Neal doesn't like or even carry guns, but the NYPD does not. Teen Neal/Paternal Peter
1. A Bullet for First Names

**Summary**_**: Peter catches Neal. Neal is only fifteen years old and certainly not what Peter was expecting.**_

**Disclaimer: **_**White Collar belongs to Jeff Eastin and USA.**_

* * *

Neal didn't know when he'd ever been in this much pain before.

What had started out as a simple job was suddenly not so simple anymore. He was being paid six figures to get a Vermeer at the Met. But then this plan had gone awry the moment the FBI and the cops showed up. Neal had almost gotten out of the gallery before one of the cops pulled a gun. He had heard one of the FBI agents yell but it was too late as Neal felt a searing pain rip into his shoulder. Now he was staggering down another gallery towards one of the exits.

Neal finally stumbled and collapsed, his cheek resting on the cool, wood floor. He weakly struggled to lift his head as he heard footsteps and a male voice talking.

"Hey stay down, stay down" and there was a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"It's bad. He's bleeding heavily" Neal shifts painfully and sees the man talking into a radio.

A person responds and the agent nods and then starts to put pressure on his shoulder. Neal can't stifle the cry that escapes his lips as more pain shoots up and down his arm.

"Who are you?" he gasps.

"Special Agent Peter Burke, FBI" is the automatic response, "don't worry, you're going to be fine" is added as though Peter Burke feels a need to comfort Neal.

"Never thought we'd meet like this" Neal huffs a pain-filled laugh.

"Yeah well, there's a first time for everything" Burke responds. He's obviously trying to hide the fact that he's concerned for Neal.

"How bad is it?" Neal's eyelids start to slip closed.

"Not that bad" Peter says, sounding much calmer than he's feeling.

"Y'know you're an awful liar" Neal smirks, before pain flashes through his eyes. He lets out a quiet moan and tosses under Peter's hands.

"Hey, relax" Peter internally winces at the terror in the kid's blue eyes. Neal starts to gasp and Peter desperately tries to stop him from hyperventilating.

There's a distant whine of sirens and Neal's breathing speeds up even more. With a surge of desperate strength he pushed off Peter's hands and shakily stands up.

"Whoa there, kid" Peter quickly moves to support Neal. He stares at Peter wildly, as though he has no idea why he's here.

"No…no…I have to go…leave me alone" Neal frantically pushes off Peter and lurches only three feet before he collapses. Peter grimaces, El's gonna kill him when she sees how much blood is staining his suit. He carefully lowers Neal to the ground, wishing the ambulance would get there quicker.

"Sir, please move aside!" Peter looks up as medics come running in carrying various pieces of medical equipment. Suddenly Peter's reluctant to leave Neal's side and only moves when Diana comes up beside him.

The paramedics work on Neal, cutting away Neal's shirt and applying gauze and bandages to his shoulder. They shift Neal onto a stretcher and one of the medics comes to speak with Peter.

"Sir does he have any relatives or family?" he asked.

"No…but he's in, uh, my custody" Peter says, hearing Diana's "what?!" behind him.

"If you'd like to ride in the ambulance…" Peter nods and follows the man, turning back to tell Diana to follow them to the hospital.

* * *

Neal lay painfully still in the hospital bed, his face as white as the sheets that covered him. He had been in surgery for almost three hours, a time that the doctors had assured him was pretty good for a bullet wound. The doctors had been able to remove the bullet from Neal's shoulder and assured Peter that Neal would still have full use of his shoulder and arm.

The only complication was that between Neal's struggles and short escape attempts, Neal had lost a lot of blood. Now Neal had an IV as well as blood being pumped into his body. The doctors suspected he would be weak from blood loss but there would be no permanent effects.

Peter was startled out of his musings by a quiet moan from the bed. He turned and saw Neal's eyelids starting to flicker open as the kid stirred.

"Neal?" he asked.

"First name basis. If I knew it would've taken a bullet for first names, I would've gotten shot sooner" Neal's smirk turned into a gasp, "then again maybe not."

Peter huffs, and Neal can't tell if it's annoyance, exasperation, or amusement.

At that point, much to Neal's concealed relief, the nurse comes in and injects a sedative into his IV. Peter hides a smile as Neal visibly relaxes as the drug slips into his system.

"'Night, kid" Peter says, but Neal's already asleep.

* * *

**~TBC**

**A/N: **_**I'll keep this short and sweet! I was thinking of keeping this as the Neal teen fic. I feel this is stronger and I can write more. I also prefer this one to the other one, but if you like my previous Neal teen fic, please let me know and I will keep it. I am also not good at all of the hospital terms and I honestly have no idea if three hours is good or not. But its fanfiction! :) So enjoy!**_


	2. Little Chickens

Neal jerked awake, a scream lodged in his throat. His panicked blue eyes darted around until they settled on a sleeping FBI agent.

"P'ter" he choked, desperate for Peter to wake up.

"Neal…what is it?" Peter slowly blinked his eyes open.

"W-w-what…?" Neal gasped.

"Hey, hey you're okay. Just relax. I need a doctor!" Peter yelled the last statement, hoping that someone out in the hallway (namely Jones or Diana) would hear him. Neal leaned into Peter's chest, trembling fingers grasping at Peter's shirt.

Jones and Diana burst into the hospital room with a doctor.

"Boss, what's wrong?" Diana asked worriedly.

"It's Neal. Something's wrong" Peter gestures helplessly as the doctor quickly pulled an oxygen mask from Neal's bedside and secured it over Neal's face. Peter turned and watched, feeling helpless, as Neal frantically tried to pull at the mask. Peter moved forwards next to Neal and comforted him, gently pulling his hands away from the oxygen mask and rubbing between his shoulder blades in order to calm down the teen. The doctor came over with a small syringe and fiddled with Neal's IV, injecting the sedative.

Neal's terrified blue eyes found Peter's calm brown ones and he visibly relaxed.

"Neal…can you tell me what happened?" Peter asked calmly.

"Just a nightmare" Neal replied, a faint blush spreading over his otherwise colorless cheeks.

"What was it about?" Diana queried, coming to stand behind Peter.

"Nothing" Neal's blush deepened and he looked away from the two questioning agents.

"Burke?" Jones had stepped out to take a call and now he held his phone out to Peter.

"Hello?"

"Peter, what happened? I got a call and they said you were in the hospital. Are you okay? Did you get into an accident?" came Elizabeth's frantic voice into Peter's ear.

"Hon, I'm fine. It was nothing-"

"What do you mean it was nothing?! Why did the FBI call and say you were in the hospital?!" El was practically shrieking.

"El, I finally arrested Neal Caffrey and-" Peter got cut off again.

"So why did they say you were in the hospital?"

"Hon, I'm in the hospital with Caffrey because he needed an escort. He was shot by the NYPD" Peter patiently explained.

"Thank God. Are you coming home for dinner tonight?" Now that one of her main concerns was taken care of, Elizabeth voiced her second worry.

"I'm not sure yet. Is it those tasty little chickens?"

"Cornish hens. And, yes it is. So be home!" El said huffily.

"I'll try. Love you, hon" Peter smiled.

"Love you too."

"Caffrey's asleep" Diana came out.

"Good…good. Diana, do you think you or Jones could stay here overnight? It's just that El wants me home for dinner and…"

"Sure boss, no problem."

* * *

Peter sighed happily. He was just sitting down to dinner with his wife and his dog at his feet.

El placed two steaming plates on the table, "hon, I'll be right back. I'll just get the wine."

As El went into the kitchen, the phone rang.

"Peter!" she called from the kitchen.

"Hello?" Peter said, praying that this call wouldn't take long. He really did like those little chickens.

"Boss. It's Diana."

"What's wrong?" Peter asked suspiciously.

"It's Caffrey. He's on the roof and threatening to jump."

"That doesn't sound like Neal" Peter replied, a feeling of dread settling in his belly.

"Boss, I think you should come over here. He's been talking about Kate Moreau."

"Diana-" Peter sighed.

"I'm just saying…"

* * *

Peter slammed the door of the Taurus and stared up at the illuminated roof of the hospital. He could just see a silhouette against the night sky and groaned.

Diana met him at the front door.

"This way, boss."

"I thought Caffrey was asleep."

"He was. The doctor was sure about the amount of sedative he gave him. Caffrey was supposed to be asleep until the morning" Diana said coolly.

Peter just looked at her.

"He must have pulled out the IV as soon as we left and not gotten a full dose. Jones and I were outside the room, so Neal must have gotten out of the window."

They reached the roof and Peter saw about twenty agents and a few doctors all aimlessly milling around and studiously avoiding the lone figure at the very edge of the roof.

"Have you tried talking him down?" Peter asked.

"Yes. He ignored us and only threatened to jump" Jones came up to Diana and Peter.

"Alright. I want all of these agents gone."

"Gone?" both agents echoed incredulously.

"Yeah. Caffrey's not coming down, not with everyone standing here."

Peter stood and watched as Diana and Jones effectively cleared everyone except for Peter and Neal off the roof in a matter of minutes.

"Neal" Peter said softly, tentatively walking forward until he was only a few yards from the teen.

"Peter," Neal turned.

"Why? This isn't something you'd do."

Neal only looked at Peter, his eyes shining with tears. Peter took another step towards Neal, grateful when Neal didn't move.

"Do you really want to?" Peter gestured to the edge of the roof, "do you really think it'll bring back Kate?"

Neal stared at Peter in shock.

"You thought I didn't know about Kate Moreau?" Peter almost wanted to grin, because for once he had bested Neal Caffrey. Neal sank to the ground, his head buried in his hands. Peter took this opportunity to walk the remaining distance to Neal.

He placed a hesitant hand on Neal's shaking shoulder.

"Neal…I-I-I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that."

Peter slid his arm around Neal and pulled the kid closer. He rubbed Neal's back, listening to the ragged sobs that shook the teenager's body. The agent lost track of how long he stayed in the slightly uncomfortable position with Neal huddled against his chest. Eventually Neal's breathing evened out and his head lolled loosely against Peter's shoulder. Peter stood up, careful not to jostle Neal as he gathered the now unconscious forger in his arms.

* * *

**A/N: I am sorry for such a delayed post! Life has been hectic, but I hope you enjoy this chapter! I appreciate any thoughts on my stories!**


End file.
